QR codes for restaurants and cafés
By Prabhneet Singh Narula, founder of RelyQr · Updated
Short answer
Restaurants use QR codes for menus guests open on their phones, Wi-Fi without spelling out the password, Google reviews, payments and takeaway orders on WhatsApp. Use a dynamic menu code so prices and specials change without reprinting, print table tents 4 to 6 cm wide, and keep a few printed menus for guests who prefer paper.
The QR codes a restaurant needs
| Code | What it does | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Menu | A mobile menu with prices, photos and languages | Table tents, stickers, the window |
| Wi-Fi | Guests join with one scan | Tables, the counter |
| Google review | Opens your review form | The bill, receipts, the exit |
| Payment | UPI, PayPal or card links, amount filled in | The bill folder, the counter |
| Opens a chat with an order message typed in | Takeaway bags and flyers | |
| Coupon | An offer for the next visit | Receipts and takeaway bags |
Menu page or PDF?
A PDF of your printed menu is quick to set up, but guests have to pinch and zoom on a small screen. A menu page is built for phones: sections, dishes, prices and photos that read at a glance, in the guest's own language when you've added translations. Either way, make the code dynamic, so a new price or a sold-out special goes live in a minute with no reprint.
Where to put them, and how big
| Placement | Scanned from | Code width |
|---|---|---|
| Table tent or table sticker | 40-60 cm | 4-6 cm |
| Menu card or bill folder | 30-40 cm | 3-4 cm |
| Receipt | 20-30 cm | 2-2.5 cm |
| Window or door, outside | 1-2 m | 10-20 cm |
| Wall menu | 2-3 m | 20-30 cm |
Put codes where light reaches them, use a matte finish, and say what each one does: “Menu”, “Wi-Fi”, “Rate your visit”.
A worked example
A café prints one table tent per table: the menu code on one side and the Wi-Fi code on the other, folded so both face guests. The menu is a RelyQr menu page with an English and Hindi version. When the owner changes the price of a cold coffee at 4 pm, every table shows the new price by 4:01. A review code on the receipt asks how the visit went.
After a month, the scan analytics show menu scans peak at 1 pm and 8 pm, and that the window code brings in walk-ins on weekends, so the owner moves the daily special to the window.
What to measure
- Menu scans by hour and day, to plan staff and specials.
- Scans per table or area, with one code per placement.
- Review taps against reviews received.
- Coupon redemptions against coupons printed.
Questions people also ask
Do guests need an app to see a QR code menu?
No. The menu opens in the phone's browser, on iPhone and Android, with no app or sign-up.
Can I change menu prices without reprinting?
Yes, with a dynamic menu code: edit the menu and every table shows the new prices within a minute.
How big should a QR code be on a restaurant table?
4 to 6 cm wide on a table tent or sticker, which guests scan comfortably from their seat.
Should I still have printed menus?
Keep a few: some guests prefer paper, and phones run out of battery.
Make a QR code that lasts forever
Free static codes with your logo and no watermark. Dynamic codes you can change after printing keep working on every plan.